Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Heb 13:17)
Thomas Farrar (Roman Catholic; former Christadelphian) has a very good article on his Dianoigo blog:
It is a good discussion of Heb 13:17 and its implications for ecclesiology; indeed, only groups that hold to a "high" ecclesiology (Roman Catholic; Eastern Orthodox; Latter-day Saint) will agree with the New Testament texts of ecclesiological significance, such as this text as well as 1 Tim 3:15, while many Protestants, esp. of the non-Reformed variety (e.g., Calvary Chapel) will find such to be problematic, resulting in a lot of wrested scriptures.
Of course, Heb 13:17, as Farrar notes, does not mean blind obedience or even agreeing to accept and perform actions that are contrary to the Gospel itself. As Farrar notes in his conclusion: (emphasis added):
The commandment to "Obey your leaders and defer to them" (Heb. 13:17) requires Christians to yield to the Spirit-guided discretion of divinely-appointed church leaders, even when the judgment of the leader runs contrary to one's own opinion. The only exception is when the leader's orders violate God's laws (as interpreted by the Church, rather than privately by one of the parties involved). This is in line with what is expected of subordinates in secular settings (e.g., domestic, professional and military). As in secular settings, obedience and subordination are crucial to maintaining the unity and effective operation of the corporate entity.
